Friends! Welcome to Day 10 of the Twelve Days of Pound Cake! We are rounding out our vegan offerings for this year’s event with this incredible, delectable, downright sinful Vegan Lemon Vanilla Pound Cake.
Because Friends, if a pound cake doesn’t have those qualities, I don’t even want it. And, vegan or not, my pound cakes have to be a certain way before I present them to you.
About this Vegan Lemon Vanilla Pound Cake
This cake…THIS CAKE. The flavors are really bold and very full, but they are incredibly balanced. I wanted this cake to deliver on big taste and incredible texture, and it delivered in spades. 😊
To ensure that this cake was vegan, I did a few things: I used plant-based butter (I strongly prefer Earth Balance sticks to anything else, and am limited in plant-based butters because I cannot use nut butters), I used flax eggs, and I also used plant-based milk. Those three changes took out all of the animal products from this cake, making sure that those of you who do not consume animal products can happily munch of pound cake, like everyone else. 😃
Because pound cake is meant to be an inclusive experience.
Ingredients in this Vegan Lemon Vanilla Pound Cake
All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour a superhero when it comes to baking ingredients—it has the just-right amount of proteins that team up to give this cake the perfect structure!
Baking Soda: You need baking soda for this Vegan Snickerdoodle Pound Cake; it gives the perfect rise, texture, and iconic flavor by reacting with acidic “buttermilk”, ensuring a delightful, light, and fluffy outcome.
Kosher Salt: You need a pinch of salt in sweet desserts because it enhances and balances the flavors, elevating the sweetness and making every bite more delicious. If you’re using table salt in this cake, halve the amount.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon in Vegan Snickerdoodle Pound Cake: the spice that turns a simple cookie into a flavor disco, where each bite is a groovy dance party for your taste buds! A little goes a long way, so don’t get cute with the measurement!
Vegan Butter: Vegan butter in baking acts as a plant-based substitute for traditional butter, providing moisture, richness, and a buttery flavor to recipes, ensuring that your treats are both cruelty-free and irresistibly tasty.
Vegetable Oil: Oil helps add additional richness to the batter!
Granulated Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness to our cake, but it also aids in caramelization! And with bundt cakes, that beautiful golden crust is largely due to the caramelization from the sugar!
Vanilla Bean or Vanilla Extract: You can use either; this is a matter of personal preference. I prefer the bold flavor of the vanilla bean, but if prefer to have the lemon flavor come through more boldly, use the vanilla extract.
Flax Eggs : Flax eggs, serving as a vegan-friendly binder, work their magic in baked goods by mimicking the binding properties of traditional eggs, adding moisture, structure, and helping create a perfect texture without the need for animal products.
Plant-Based Milk: Every cake gets moisture from its chosen liquid, and this one is no different. For this cake (and all vegan baking), I actually prefer oat milk, but you can use any plant-based milk that you have on hand.
Lemon Juice: The cake calls for 32 grams (1/8 c) of freshly squeezed lemon juice. The simple syrup calls for 2 tbsp. The glaze? Another 2 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice. The lemon juice lends a subtle lemon flavor to the cake that is perfectly balanced with the hit of vanilla; you will never need to use lemon extract in this cake. Please don’t use the lemon juice in a bottle.
Beginners Start Here
If you’re new to baking, or if you want to learn how to do some of the more tricky baking techniques, here are a couple of super helpful articles from the BwB site that will help you get set up for success with this Vegan Lemon Vanilla Pound Cake.
- My Favorite Bundt Pans
- Meet Your Kitchen BFF–Your Digital Kitchen Scale!
- Technique Tips for the Best Pound Cakes (& Big News!)
- How to Cream Butter and Sugar (With New Video!)
- Baking 101: How to Measure Ingredients
- How to Grease a Bundt Pan
- The Best Tools for Perfect Pound Cakes
- Knowing When to Stop a Technique
- Begin with Butter Home Baking Academy | Perfect Pound Cakes Class!
These resources are super helpful to help you build consistency and confidence on your baking journey. Happy Reading!
Important Tools Used in this Vegan Lemon Vanilla Pound Cake
Below, you’ll find some tools that I used for this pound cake. These are the tools that I use all the time in my own kitchen.
**I get paid a small commission if you purchase directly from these links, but they are truly amazing products that you’ll find in my kitchen.**
If you have them already, great! Think of this as a checklist to help you build the confidence that you’ll need to execute this recipe!
- Oven Thermometer
- Digital Food Scale
- KitchenAid Hand Mixer
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer
- Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set
- OXO Spatula Set
- Sifter
We are nearing the end of this year’s event, but don’t fret! We still have two whole cakes to reveal! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow for Day 11!
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Vegan Lemon Vanilla Pound Cake
This Vegan Lemon Vanilla Pound Cake sacrifices nothing. It is perfectly moist, decadent, and perfect for your holiday table.
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter:
- 448 g (3.5 c) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 227 g (1 c) vegan butter, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 500 g granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons flax meal (not flax seeds)
- 188 g (3/4 c) water
- 1 vanilla bean
- 250 g plant-based milk, room temperature (I used oat milk)
For the Lemon Simple Syrup:
- 67 g (1/3 c) granulated sugar
- 84 g (1/3 c) water
- 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
For the Glaze:
- 240 g (2 c) confectioner’s sugar
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 1.5–2 tbsp plant-based milk
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
To Make the Batter:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. It’s highly recommended to use an oven thermometer for this recipe, since proper oven temperature will impact the outcome of your cake.
- Combine flax meal and water thoroughly in a small measuring cup or bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the plant-based milk and 63 g of lemon juice in another small measuring cup. Set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Carefully cut open one vanilla bean pod. Scrape the seeds from the pod and add them to the sugar. Place the vanilla bean pod in the plant-based buttermilk until ready to use.
- Place the room-temperature plant-based butter and vegetable oil in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until smooth.
- Add half of the vanilla/sugar mixture and mix until the sugar is just incorporated.
- Add the second half of the sugar and mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add half of the flax eggs and mix until it is fully incorporated. Add the second half of the flax egg mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Add vanilla extract (if using) and mix until thoroughly combined. If using vanilla bean, omit this step.
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.
- Remove the vanilla bean from the plant-based buttermilk. Add all of the plant-based buttermilk and mix on lowest speed until just combined.
- Add the second half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until almost combined. Stop mixing just before the mixture is fully together. (1-2 minutes)
- Using a rubber spatula, fully scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Then, mix the batter until it is smooth and consistent. Make sure to fully scrape the bottom of the bowl!
- Grease a 10-12 cup bundt pan with the remaining butter and flour and place the batter in the pan.
To Bake the Cake:
- Bake the cake at a true 325°F for 60-70 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 210°F-215°F. My preferred internal temperature for this cake is 212°F. Alternately, the cake is done with a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and a fingerprint indentation bounces back.
- Allow the cake to rest for ten minutes while you make the simple syrup.
To Make the Lemon Simple Syrup:
- Combine sugar, water, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Remove the simple syrup from the heat and add lemon juice and vanilla. Stir until incorporated.
- After allowing the cake to rest for ten minutes, invert it onto a cooling rack and carefully remove the bundt pan.
- Using a pastry brush, gently brush the cinnamon simple syrup over the entire cake.
- Allow the cake to cool completely.
To Make the Lemon Glaze:
- Combine the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Whisk until nearly combined, then add 1 more tablespoon of plant-based milk if necessary. Whisk until smooth. The glaze will be thick but should be pourable.
- The final glaze should have the consistency of thick honey, and you should just be able to pour it. Add water, one teaspoon at a time, if the original glaze is too thick to pour.
- Using a spouted measuring cup, spoon, or squeeze bottle, drizzle final glaze over the cake.
- If necessary, use a spoon to help the glaze fall over the sides of the cake.
- Allow the glaze to set for five minutes, then gently sprinkle decorating sugar (if using) to finish.